Debate Thoughts

See below for my live thoughts on the debate as it was going on. I think everyone got their shots in, but overall McGuinty came out the winner. Even though he was attacked constantly, he answered everyone with a comment on his own record and called Tory and Hampton when they were twisting things.

McGuinty threw out some of new ideas that are in his platform and kept going back to his own record and getting great shots in on the NDP and Conservative records.

Tory and Hampton did seem to faze McGuinty a couple times but he always came back with a bigger jab at their parties records and ways his government have fixed the problems they created.

Hampton really needed to wow people to win and everything he proposed was something McGuinty had already been doing or was totally unaffordable (remember Hampton's platform costs $2 Billlion more than the other two parties). Hampton knows he can't be Premier and I think sometimes (like on nuclear power) it was just obvious he was coming off like an idealist.

Tory plainly came off as far too negative all the time. He get the feeling he just hates this province as it is. Just as Harper used to rant how awful Canada was, Tory is doing the same and I just don't think that wins people over. McGuinty responded with positivism and how Ontario was doing better than he was saying. Tory needed to one come off as positive nad really get off all his ideas, instead he was 90% negative, got off a few points here and there and scored no knock-punches like he needed to do.

It was a tough debate for McGuinty, but I think taking into account what everyone needed to do tonight, McGuinty wins.

UPDATE: Watched the press conferences afterward. Tory's french was awful! He ended up saying several words in English. I really think a Premier should still speak at least decent French as we do have a significant Francophone minority and obviously a French media that can't be communicated to if you can't speak French at all. He had to dodge the last French question without even letting the reporter finish his question with "je ne sais pas, I tried my best" and moved on to the next person, lol. Meanwhile Tory struggled to explain why he was so negative all the time. Finished by saying what sounded like he would fund all private schools (wants to bring all Ontarians in from the private system to the public). So is a funding scheme for all private schools in the cards? (I know I know, likely slip of the tongue, but Freudian slip perhaps?)

Hampton come out and was asked how he had such a love-in with John Tory (12 times he praised him apparently). Hampton had to spend 2 of his 5 minutes saying where he disagreed with Tory (of course none of these things were said in the debate). Basically Hampton didn't have much to say.

McGuinty came out and noted how he enjoyed the debate and expected all the negativity. He noted all the positive things he got out about his government and his new ideas and how obviously he knew he would have to spend most of the time on the defensive because Tory and Hampton's job was to gang up. McGuinty of course handled the French questions very well (being from Ottawa, he's fluently bilingual). Looks forward to talking to talking to Ontarians for the rest of the campaign. Good job.

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